HMCS ST. LAURENT 205 - For Posterity's Sake

HMCS ST LAURENT 205

ST LAURENT Class Destroyer

HMCS ST LAURENT 205

DND / RCN photo

Battle honours and awards: Atlantic 1939-45, Normandy 1944

Laid down: 24 Nov 1950

Launched: 30 Nov 1951

Commissioned: 29 Oct 1955

Paid off for Conversion to DDH:

Re-commissioned: 04 Oct 1963

Paid off: 14 Jun 1974

Fate: Foundered 12 Jan 1980

Name ship of her trend-setting class of "Cadillacs," ST LAURENT was built by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, and commissioned on 29 Oct 1955. In February 1956 she proceeded to the U.S. Trials Centre at Key West, Florida, for three months' evaluation, after which she visited Washington, arriving on the Potomac River on 15 Apr 1956 at 0800 hrs. Afterwards she departed for the UK and in the course of the latter excursion escorted HMY Britannia on a state visit to Sweden. On 02 Feb 1960, ST LAURENT, by then stationed on the west coast, departed Esquimalt with two of her sisters, OTTAWA 229 and SAGUENAY 206, on a 2 1/2-month Pacific cruise, visiting Long Beach, Pearl Harbour, Yokosuka, Okinawa and Hong Kong. On 28 Mar 1960 they departed Hong Kong after a port visit and returned to Esquimalt on 29 Apr 1960. On 02 Mar 1961, ST LAURENT, in company with OTTAWA 229, and SAGUENAY 206 departed Esquimalt for Operations with US Carrier Division 17 off Hawaii; returning to Esquimalt on 04 Apr 1961. She was test-fitted with VDS prior to being converted to a DDH at Burrard Dry Dock, Vancouver. Re-commissioned on 04 Oct 1963, she departed Esquimalt on 07 Jan 1964 for a world cruise and then transfer to the Atlantic Fleet. ST LAURENT was paid off for the final time on 14 Jun 1974. She remained in Halifax as a source for spare parts for her sister ships.

On 01 Jan 1980, ST LAURENT left Halifax under tow of the tug Odin Salvator for Brownsville, Texas, to be broken up, but on 12 Jan 1980, the towline broke in a gale and she foundered off Cape Hatteras. Bravo Zulu ST LAURENT!

Photos and Documents Ship's company photos Commissioning Book

"West About" with HMCS ST LAURENT - 1964 World Cruise

Commanding Officers

Cdr Robert Walter Timbrell, RCN - 29 Oct 1955 - 23 Jan 1957

Capt Angus George Boulton, RCN - 23 Jan 1957 - 15 Mar 1958

Capt Howard Lee Quinn, RCN - 15 Mar 1958 - 09 Jan 1959

LCdr Evan Petley-Jones, RCN - 09 Jan 1959 - 02 Mar 1959

Cdr Michael Henry Elvy Page, RCN - 02 Mar 1959 - 29 Jun 1960

Cdr James B. Fotheringham, RCN - 29 Jun 1960 - 04 Oct 1962

Cdr D.D. Lee, RCN - 04 Oct 1963 - 15 Sep 1965

Cdr William James Walton, RCN - 15 sep 1965 - 02 Feb 1967

LCdr Bruce Edwin. Hayes, RCN - 02 Feb 1967 - 25 Aug 1967

Cdr M. Barrow, RCN - 25 Aug 1967 - 11 Aug 1969

Cdr S.W. Riddle - 11 Aug 1969 - Jul 1971

Cdr G.G. Freill - Jul 1971 - Nov 1972

LCdr Richard Laws Burnip - Nov 1972 - 14 Jun 1974

In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice

Lest We Forget

O'GORMAN, John W.

LS.WS2, RCN

Died - 14 Feb 1964

In memory of those who have crossed the bar

They shall not be forgotten

Aubrey, G. Brett

Bagley, Thomas E.

Baillargeon, Raymond G.

Colclough, Frederick J.

Fotheringham, James B.

Thibault, J.T. Laurent

Worthington, Donald E.

Wulowka, Olie E.

Wynnyk, Jaroslaw

Young, Keith M.

Former Crew Members

Barrow - 1968

Bennett, (Gump) - 1968

Drabble, CPO2 - 1968

Eckford, Slt - 1968

Flieger, Kenneth - 1970

Forbes, (Doc) - 1968

Glover, PO2, - 1968

Johnson, AB - 1968

Johnstone, LS - 1968

Kemp, PO2 - 1968

Knoddel - 1968

Kloosterman, Jim

Miller, PO - 1968

Marsh, Donald, PO.CR, RCN

McCartney, D., Leading Seaman Radar Plotter

Mosher, Tom

Nadon, Luc, ABRM - 1969

Peachy, AB - 1968

Pichler, Slt - 1968

Pinnell, Terry, OSS - Aug 1968 - Nov 1969

Ray, Lt - 1968

Relf, Gord, LSRM - 1969

Richardson, (Rocket) - 1968

Sauer, Herb - 1970

Shortt, AB - 1968

Smith, LS - 1968

Spargo - 1968

Spicer, Lt 1968

Theriault, Robert (Bob), Signalman

Turner, Les

Waddell, (Buck) - 1968

Vuillemin, Patrick, Leading Cadet - 1968

Photos and Documents

HMCS ST LAURENT 205 - Oct 1957

Courtesy of Francis Dowdall

HMCS ST LAURENT 205 - between 1865 and 1968

DND / RCN photo

(left) HMCS GATINEAU 236 and HMCS COLUMBIA 260 enter the locks to Antwerp Harbour. HMCS ST LAURENT 205 in the foreground

(right) HMCS ST LAURENT 205 enters Antwerp Harbour - Jul 1966

Courtesy of John Gabel

The first edition of ...

"Our Sally's Fan"

1st week of Feb 1968

HMCS ST LAURENT 205's weekly shipboard rag (aka newspaper)

Courtesy of Patrick Vuillemin

HMCS ST LAURENT 205

A few crew members of HMCS ST LAURENT 205 in one of the mess decks

Courtesy of Daniel Miller

Tot time on HMCS ST LAURENT 205

Courtesy of Daniel Miller

Two members of HMCS DONNACONA checking out a mess deck on HMCS ST LAURENT 205

Courtesy of Daniel Miller

Two members from HMCS DONNACONA checking out the forward 3"50 on HMCS ST LAURENT 205

Courtesy of Daniel Miller

HMCS ST LAURENT 205, London, England, 1956

Courtesy of Daniel Miller

HMCS ST LAURENT 205 - date unknown

Courtesy of Daniel Miller

Two members of HMCS Donnacona checking out the bridge equipment of HMCS ST LAURENT 205

Courtesy of Daniel Miller

HMCS ST LAURENT, Maple Spring 1969 - ABRM Luc Nadon and LSRM Gord Relf

Courtesy of Ronald J. MacDonald

Unknown sailor on the fo'c's'le of HMCS ST LAURENT 205 - late1960s

Courtesy of John Hawley

BT01

BT02

BT03

HMCS ST LAURENT 205 - World Cruise - 1964-1965

(BT01) HMCS ST LAURENT 1964-65 (BT02) Easter Services on HMCS ST LAURENT 205 - sailors mentioned in article AB J.H.W. Hicks, AB R.J. Hubble, AB B.L.Murray, Chaplain Mowatt, PO Theriault and LS Pinckard (BT03) Article on ST LAURENT arriving in Halifax after her world cruise

From the collection of Robert (Bob) (Bud) Theriault

Courtesy of Bob Theriault